MCS kicks off new school year with wireless device ban
MADISON – One of the most notable changes on Madison campuses this school year, is a new policy directed at cell phone use. Madison City Schools has amended its wireless device policy to comply with the FOCUS Act adopted by the Legislature this year. “The Freeing Our Classrooms of Unnecessary Screens for Safety Act” required local school boards to adopt policies consistent with the state Act by July 1, 2025.
The mandated policywith limited exceptions – bans ALL use of cell phones, smart watches, ear buds/headphones, air pods, gaming devices, tablets and other similar devices throughout the ENTIRE school day.
“Students who bring a wireless device onto school grounds must power it off, store it off of their person (ex: in their car, purse, or backpack) and not turn the device on or use it for the entire school day,” explained a statement on the ban from the school system. “Exceptions permitted by the law, and by school board policy, include use required for a student’s IEP, individualized health plan or 504 plan, for emergencies threatening the life or safety of the student or another person, or if use is permitted for instructional purposes consistent with guidelines of the Superintendent.”
Madison City Schools previously enforced its own policy to prohibit the use of cell phones and other wireless devices during class time but allowed use between class periods and non-instructional time. Under the new statewide FOCUS Act, such use is no longer allowed.
The school district’s new legislatively mandated policy goes significantly further to prohibit use, operation or possession of a wider variety of wireless devices and requires that the devices remain powered off and stored during the entire school day from the first class bell until the last bell dismissing students at the end of the day.
As necessary, the new policy will be enforced with disciplinary consequences set out in the Board’s revised Code of Student Conduct available for the 2025-26 school year.
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